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China tightened controls on overseas travel for its citizens as updated entry and exit rules took effect on September 15, 2026, barring those deemed potential threats to national technology security from departure. The regulations, unveiled in July by the State Council, target violations of export controls or technology import and export rules that could endanger industrial or technological security. Reuters reported from Beijing that the measures also allow exit bans of six months to three years for citizens who return after illegal or criminal acts overseas that harm national security or interests. Foreign nationals risk denial of entry for one to five years over false statements in visa applications.
The Financial Times reported that the decree formalises creeping restrictions on mid-to-senior-level civil servants, Communist Party cadres, state-owned enterprise employees and private citizens in sensitive areas as President Xi Jinping intensifies efforts to protect state secrets and advanced technology. Those who breach the rules face steep fines and bans ranging from three months to an indefinite period. A State Council statement said the updates standardise procedures while safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. Analysts told the newspaper the changes mark a shift toward tighter limits last seen in the Mao era.
Kyodo News reported that the regulations have caused worries among businesses by targeting technology company officials and engineers, including Chinese nationals at foreign private enterprises, amid rivalry with the United States in artificial intelligence and humanoid robots. Authorities from the Commerce Ministry can prevent exits in such cases, and individuals may not be informed of bans or reasons when national security or criminal investigations are involved. The rules require submission of documents and electronic data for identity verification at borders. Earlier this year Beijing blocked two co-founders of an AI startup from leaving during a regulatory review of a potential foreign acquisition.
Taiwan warned its people to exercise extra caution when visiting China, which regards them as Chinese citizens subject to the new rules. Shen Yu-chung, deputy minister of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, told Focus Taiwan that the measures pose risks to information, business and personal security for businesspeople, high-tech professionals, civil servants and members of certain religious groups. He highlighted provisions allowing demands for data from mobile phones and laptops, which could expose trade secrets or political views. Shen noted that authorities do not need to inform those subject to restrictions of the ban, its basis or remedies.
Taipei Times reported that the Mainland Affairs Council urged travellers to register online before trips and assess risks, citing possible inconsistent or overly strict implementation by local Chinese officials. Central Police University professor Arthur Wang told the newspaper that Taiwanese tech professionals could be targeted for possessing sensitive information, with authorities potentially requiring data on relatives or making departure difficult. Similar restrictions appeared in China’s 2023 counterespionage law revisions. The new framework builds on long-standing curbs applied to senior officials with access to confidential information.
A Reuters dispatch noted that while ordinary Chinese citizens remain generally free to travel unlike during the Cold War, the government has monitored plans of those it considers security risks. The regulations have prompted Taiwan to maintain its travel alert level for now. Shen Yu-chung added that the rules could relate to competition in high-tech and semiconductor sectors with the United States and efforts to control talent outflow. China has dismissed the concerns, stating the measures provide better legal protection for Taiwanese.
